WELLINGTON Town Council is looking at shelling out more than £375,000 a year on looking after the open spaces in the town.

The council is set to take over the ownership and management of the town’s open spaces from next April as part of the devolution of services from cash-strapped Somerset Council.

But, once again, these things cost money and even though it is commendable that the town council wants to look after these important areas – pounds, shillings and pence come to the fore in eye-watering sums.

The plans include Wellington Park, Wellington Rec, Wellington Playing Field and various other open spaces including Burrough Way, Oakfield Park, Hoyles Road, Dobree Park, The Paddocks, Sylvan Road, Laburnham Road, Beechgrove, Barrington Way, Jurston Lane, Andrew Allen Road, Walkers Gate and Swains Lane Nature Reserve.

The works include grass cutting, litter picking, bin emptying, hedge cutting, tree inspections, planting, weeding and general maintenance. 

Councillors are due to meet on Monday (September 2) to discuss the future management of open spaces in the town and the costs involved.

They will be told that the council is looking at having the open spaces work by its own enlarged in-house team and external contractors. 

An annual indicative budget for open spaces has been compiled by council officers and amounts to £377,450. This includes £170,000 on salaries, £123,000 on outsourced activities, £34,450 on hiring a new depot and £30,500 on vehicles/machinery.

“The anticipated total annual cost of operating this blended model of working is expected to be in the region of £377,500,” said a council report.

“As a point of reference, Somerset Council has indicated that if the town council was to ask it to provide the services the annual cost for 2024/25 would be £416,332 plus VAT.”

The plans include town clerk Dave Farrow recruiting a team of four full-time extra members of staff for its open spaces team.

Councillors have been warned that the operational cost of running a new open spaces team would have an impact on the council’s precept for 2025/26 and a possible £66.39 Council Tax increase on a Band D household.